NEW LONDON, Conn. -- Sophomore Tyler Hames (Milford, Conn.) rushed for 122 yards and amassed five total touchdowns to lead Coast Guard to a 61-30 victory over Massachusetts Maritime in the New England Football Conference Bogan Division opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Cadet Memorial Field.

The host Bears (1-2, 1-0 NEFC Bogan) overcame an early 6-0 deficit by scoring five unanswered first half touchdowns, as Hames scampered in from 10 yards out with 6:04 to play in the first quarter to give Coast Guard the lead for good at 7-6. An interception by senior Nick Peters (Floyds Knobs, Ind.) at the visiting Buccaneers' (2-1, 0-1 NEFC Bogan) 30-yard line set up Hames's second visit to the end zone from 30 yards out to extend the hosts' edge to 14-6 after the first 15 minutes of play, and after the Bears held on downs at their own 24-yard line, Hames capped a 76-yard drive in just three plays with a 23-yard scoring scamper and a 21-6 Coast Guard lead.

Massachusetts Maritime's second turnover of the half, a fumble on its own 37 yard line, set up senior quarterback Jarrod Owens's (Monroe, Ga.) six-yard touchdown midway through the second stanza, and Hames capped off a four-touchdown first half when he hauled in a 19-yard scoring strike from junior Jon Resch (Lititz, Pa.) with 2:35 to play in the half after the Buccaneers' third turnover and second fumble of the game for a 35-6 Bear advantage at the break.

Massachusetts Maritime took the opening second half kickoff and drove 63 yards in four plays, as sophomore quarterback Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) connected with fellow sophomore Chris Robery (Plainville, Mass.) on a nine-yard touchdown pass, and the Buccaneers regained possession just three plays later when junior Evan Sheridan (Chelmsford, Mass.) recovered an Owens fumble at the Bear 5 yard line. Senior Jake Bickley (Wilbraham, Mass.) connected on a 26-yard field goal that enabled the visitors to slice their deficit to 35-16 with 10 points in a 2:23 span, but Owens answered back for Coast Guard with a seven play, 62-yard drive that ended when he connected with junior Eric Gerken (Tampa, Fla.) on a 37-yard touchdown pass and a 42-16 Bear lead.

Following a Massachusetts Maritime punt midway through the third quarter, Owens directed the hosts' on a 15-play, 67-yard drive that consumed six minutes and resulted in senior Jacob Shackelford's (Richardson, Tex.) 26-yard field goal, but the Buccaneers responded in quick fashion once again with a score just 15 seconds later, as Stanton hit Robery on a 59-yard touchdown pass to slice the visitors' deficit to 45-22 after three quarters of play. Hames added his fourth rushing touchdown and final visit to the end zone of the day just 2:31 into the fourth stanza, as his 15-yard run capped another long Coast Guard drive of 62 yards in eight plays. Sophomore Keith Caruso (Hingham, Mass.) accounted for the final Massachusetts Maritime points of the day with 6:55 to play in the contest by hauling in a 41-yard touchdown pass from freshman John Trudel (Niantic, Conn.), and the Bears capped their scoring with 10 points over the final 3:42 of action, as Shackelford hit from 39 yards out for his second field goal of the day and Peters returned his second interception of the afternoon 29 yards for the final touchdown.

Owens completed 17-of-24 passes for 177 yards in the win for Coast Guard, as Gerken hauled in 10 receptions for 131 yards to go with his score for the Bears. Stanton completed 11-of-19 passes for 165 yards and two scores in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, which received 80 rushing yards from senior Matt White (Westwood, Mass.) and 66 rushing yards that included a two-yard touchdown run to open the game's scoring by junior Barry Reopell (South Dennis, Mass.). Caruso hauled in six receptions for a career-high 122 yards for the Buccaneers, as the two schools combined for 840 yards of total offense on the day.

Junior Dante Adams (Chesapeake, Va.) accounted for nine total tackles to pace Coast Guard defensively, as Peters added five tackles to go with his two interceptions for the Bears, who converted all four of their turnovers forced into touchdowns on the day. Sophomore Stefan Gustafson (Plymouth, Mass.) led the way defensively with a career-high 12 total tackles, including nine solo stops, in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received eight total tackles from senior James Hutchinson (Pembroke, Mass.).

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Framingham State in a New England Football Conference Bogan Division outing next Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at Noon, while Coast Guard heads to Fitchburg, Mass. next Saturday afternoon to take on Fitchburg State in a New England Football Conference Bogan Division clash that kicks off at 1:30 p.m.